Exploring factors influencing e-health adoption and use among healthcare professionals in the clinical area in Sub-Saharan Africa: using Q-Methodology and models of technology acceptance
Background: Despite the reported advantages of utilising healthcare technology within the clinical area in developed countries, there has been limited information on factors influencing e-health adoption and use in developing countries including sub-Saharan Africa. Thus, this study using Q-methodolo...
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| Format: | Thesis (University of Nottingham only) |
| Language: | English |
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2018
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| Online Access: | https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/53670/ |
| _version_ | 1848798972306522112 |
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| author | Ladan, Muhammad Awwal |
| author_facet | Ladan, Muhammad Awwal |
| author_sort | Ladan, Muhammad Awwal |
| building | Nottingham Research Data Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | Background: Despite the reported advantages of utilising healthcare technology within the clinical area in developed countries, there has been limited information on factors influencing e-health adoption and use in developing countries including sub-Saharan Africa. Thus, this study using Q-methodology provided insight into those salient factors that influences these group of participants’ choices about e-health adoption and use in their clinical practices.
Methods: This research study utilised models of technology acceptance and use: Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) together with Q-methodology to explore e-health adoption and use among healthcare professionals (HCPs) in the clinical area sub-Saharan Africa.
Results: Findings from this study identified four divergent views (Factors) that these participants hold about adoption and use of e-health within their respective clinical practices. The first view represented a group of participants identified as “patient-focused e-health advocates” whose choices about using e-health in their clinical practice are informed by their patient/families’ preferences. The second view represented a view identified as “task-focused e-health advocates”. This group of HCPs are driven to adoption and use of e-health by the need to complete their allocated tasks. The third view that emerged represented the “traditionalistic-pragmatists” who recognised that e-health has its advantages within clinical practice, but do not integrate it within their work. This group sees technology as a separate entity to routine clinical practice. The final view represents the “tech-focused e-health advocates”. This group recognise the value that e-health adds to their clinical practice and integrates it into their practice. In addition, this group also look for opportunities to utilise the e-health tools beyond their respective departments.
Discussion: The use of Q-methodology as a unique methodology to explore the HCPs subjectivity together with both TAM and UTAUT provided in depth understanding of what influences HCPs e-health adoption and use. The findings from this study identified that personal viewpoints about technologies held by the participants’ influences their choices about e-health. These viewpoints manifests as Factors within this research study. This research study also provided insight to the equivocal tripartite relationship that exist between these HCPs, e-health/clinical practice and the patients/families’.
Conclusion: This identifies how HCPs interpret the contribution that e-health makes and how this view influences their clinical practice. In addition, findings from this study will also inform stakeholders when implementing an e-health policy to consider the views of the HCPs who use these technologies. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T20:28:16Z |
| format | Thesis (University of Nottingham only) |
| id | nottingham-53670 |
| institution | University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus |
| institution_category | Local University |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T20:28:16Z |
| publishDate | 2018 |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | nottingham-536702025-02-28T14:13:54Z https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/53670/ Exploring factors influencing e-health adoption and use among healthcare professionals in the clinical area in Sub-Saharan Africa: using Q-Methodology and models of technology acceptance Ladan, Muhammad Awwal Background: Despite the reported advantages of utilising healthcare technology within the clinical area in developed countries, there has been limited information on factors influencing e-health adoption and use in developing countries including sub-Saharan Africa. Thus, this study using Q-methodology provided insight into those salient factors that influences these group of participants’ choices about e-health adoption and use in their clinical practices. Methods: This research study utilised models of technology acceptance and use: Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) together with Q-methodology to explore e-health adoption and use among healthcare professionals (HCPs) in the clinical area sub-Saharan Africa. Results: Findings from this study identified four divergent views (Factors) that these participants hold about adoption and use of e-health within their respective clinical practices. The first view represented a group of participants identified as “patient-focused e-health advocates” whose choices about using e-health in their clinical practice are informed by their patient/families’ preferences. The second view represented a view identified as “task-focused e-health advocates”. This group of HCPs are driven to adoption and use of e-health by the need to complete their allocated tasks. The third view that emerged represented the “traditionalistic-pragmatists” who recognised that e-health has its advantages within clinical practice, but do not integrate it within their work. This group sees technology as a separate entity to routine clinical practice. The final view represents the “tech-focused e-health advocates”. This group recognise the value that e-health adds to their clinical practice and integrates it into their practice. In addition, this group also look for opportunities to utilise the e-health tools beyond their respective departments. Discussion: The use of Q-methodology as a unique methodology to explore the HCPs subjectivity together with both TAM and UTAUT provided in depth understanding of what influences HCPs e-health adoption and use. The findings from this study identified that personal viewpoints about technologies held by the participants’ influences their choices about e-health. These viewpoints manifests as Factors within this research study. This research study also provided insight to the equivocal tripartite relationship that exist between these HCPs, e-health/clinical practice and the patients/families’. Conclusion: This identifies how HCPs interpret the contribution that e-health makes and how this view influences their clinical practice. In addition, findings from this study will also inform stakeholders when implementing an e-health policy to consider the views of the HCPs who use these technologies. 2018-12-12 Thesis (University of Nottingham only) NonPeerReviewed application/pdf en arr https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/53670/1/Muhammad%27s%20Final%20Corrections.pdf Ladan, Muhammad Awwal (2018) Exploring factors influencing e-health adoption and use among healthcare professionals in the clinical area in Sub-Saharan Africa: using Q-Methodology and models of technology acceptance. PhD thesis, University of Nottingham. eHealth Qmethodoloy Sub-Saharan Africa Healthcare professionals Technology Acceptance Model Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology |
| spellingShingle | eHealth Qmethodoloy Sub-Saharan Africa Healthcare professionals Technology Acceptance Model Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology Ladan, Muhammad Awwal Exploring factors influencing e-health adoption and use among healthcare professionals in the clinical area in Sub-Saharan Africa: using Q-Methodology and models of technology acceptance |
| title | Exploring factors influencing e-health adoption and use among healthcare professionals in the clinical area in Sub-Saharan Africa: using Q-Methodology and models of technology acceptance |
| title_full | Exploring factors influencing e-health adoption and use among healthcare professionals in the clinical area in Sub-Saharan Africa: using Q-Methodology and models of technology acceptance |
| title_fullStr | Exploring factors influencing e-health adoption and use among healthcare professionals in the clinical area in Sub-Saharan Africa: using Q-Methodology and models of technology acceptance |
| title_full_unstemmed | Exploring factors influencing e-health adoption and use among healthcare professionals in the clinical area in Sub-Saharan Africa: using Q-Methodology and models of technology acceptance |
| title_short | Exploring factors influencing e-health adoption and use among healthcare professionals in the clinical area in Sub-Saharan Africa: using Q-Methodology and models of technology acceptance |
| title_sort | exploring factors influencing e-health adoption and use among healthcare professionals in the clinical area in sub-saharan africa: using q-methodology and models of technology acceptance |
| topic | eHealth Qmethodoloy Sub-Saharan Africa Healthcare professionals Technology Acceptance Model Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology |
| url | https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/53670/ |